Blessed

Matthew 5:1–12 NIV

1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

If we were to write a list of what really matters - of what constitutes being - existing, and what defines being blessed in 2022 right here in North America, I would venture to say it would look quite a bit different from the list we just read in Matthew 5. I’m sure a quick look at popular self-help books & podcasts oriented toward how to succeed in the twenty-first century would fill in much of this list for us. Most of these lists would revolve around the idea of financial success - defined as affluence, or around individual accolades and awards that we can receive. What do we really value in our world.?

While no 2 lists would look exactly the same, our lists of beatitudes would probably look quite a bit different than this list given by Jesus. It might look something like this: “Blessed are those who work hard so they can play later. “ Or, “Blessed are those who prioritize themselves and their safety over that of their neighbors.” Or maybe even something like, “Blessed are the ones who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps.”

You could probably think of many more present day “beatitudes” that our culture embraces. You might think, well, we live in a completely different kind of world than the one in which Jesus spoke these words, but the culture targeted by Matthew 5 wasn’t all that different. They too struggled with wealth inequality. They too, struggled with the idea of worshiping a powerful empire and there was a desire for selfishness and security at the expense of others— which is precisely why these words in Matthew 5 were and are so unsettling and subversive. Jesus was rejecting the culture that believed these things, and he was turning culture upside down. If the beatitudes teach us anything, it is that the ways of the world are not to be the ways of the people of God. Those who follow after Jesus—are supposed to have completely different attitudes and look at the world in completely different ways. Instead of seeking to get ahead, we are to be meek and humble. Instead of violence, we are to make peace. That is really a struggle in the situation our world is in today. I don’t have all the answers for how we are to move forward when a madman is wreaking violence and desperation on innocent people. I know that I pray for the people of Ukraine, for their leaders and for the leaders of the world to make wise decisions about the war. But I do know that what is blessed by God is defined in a very different way than the way we define it in the world.

The Sermon on the Mount, which begins with the verses we read earlier is one that still unsettles us because our world is not so different than the one in which these words were spoken. So in this season of Lent, we once again take time to allow ourselves to be unsettled by these words, that we might be transformed to look more like Christ.

1. Blessed Are . . .

a. When we think of blessing, we often think of material prosperity. The Greek word makarios that is interpreted as “blessed” here often meant a form of prosperity, which is in line with what we think of today when we hear the word “blessed” or “blessing.”

i. A quick search of the hashtag #blessed on any social media platform will net results of what we think of as blessing in our culture. You will find things like prosperity, avoidance of injury in horrible accidents, health blessings, family members - especially grandchildren!

b. However, Jesus is interpreting “blessed” in a new way in the Beatitudes.

i. Makarios can be interpreted as either “blessed” or “happy.” Some translations of Scripture interpret makarios as “happy,” as a way of denoting that this passage isn’t talking about material wealth and prosperity. The idea of happy might feel odd at first but is helpful in understanding what Matthew is trying to say here.

ii. Those listening to Jesus would be shocked to hear “blessed” followed by “the poor in spirit.” They would expect to hear Jesus talk favorably about the powerful. Instead, they are witness to a reinterpretation by Jesus of the word “blessed”—as a description of those who embody meekness and humility.

2. The Qualities of the Blessed

a. This list of those who are blessed doesn’t fit the normal description of people we would consider blessed. If we were to make a list of those who are blessed in our society, what might the list include?

i. Blessed are those who have a high-paying job or a job that they enjoy.

ii. Blessed are those who have a lot of social media followers.

iii. Blessed are those who have power and influence.

iv. Blessed are those who have a loving family.

b. Our list of those we believe to be blessed often lines up with what our culture views as blessing. The list in Matthew, however, is completely different. This list of those who are blessed is a stark contrast to the power-and wealth-hungry bravado of our world: poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted because of righteousness, and those who are insulted, persecuted, and lied about because of Jesus.

c. It is not the wealthy who are blessed but those who are poor in spirit.

i. There is an aspect of this phrase that is nothing about being financially poor. Matthew says that those who are poor in Spirit are blessed, but in Luke’s telling of the beatitudes, he simply says blessed are you who are poor, implying that the blessing of the kingdom of God is for the materially poor as well (v. 20). Matthew recognizes that there are multiple ways to be poor, and not all of them have to do with the size of your bank account.

ii. It is also important to note that, just like our culture elevates and believes that the wealthy are blessed, so did the culture in Matthew’s day. The language isn’t intended to be veiled but to reinterpret blessing for the people who are listening.

d. It is not those who sit in comfort now who are blessed but those who are in mourning.

e. It is not bravado and arrogance that are blessed but meekness.

f. It is not power and violence that are blessed but mercy, a pursuit of righteousness, and peacemaking.

g. It isn’t those who live a life in freedom who are blessed but those who are persecuted for living the life Christ has called them to live.

i. This is where we often err. We sometimes desire this blessing over the others. We claim persecution when there are consequences for our actions, or we claim persecution in North America because we lose some of our power and influence. This blessing is not to be isolated from the others. Persecution has context here—those who are blessed are persecuted for the sake of righteousness (doing right and good things for the right reasons).

ii. It is good to remember this blessing in context with the others because the other blessings help us to see what righteousness is.

1. Meekness, peacemaking, poor in spirit, a hunger and thirst for righteousness (the right things for the right reasons)

2. Being like Christ, in the ways Christ laid down his rights and became a servant, loving others well—these things that lead to persecution are blessed

3. What Those Who Are Blessed, Are Blessed With

a. Not only are those who are blessed a contrast to culture, but the blessings themselves are a contrast. The expectation would be that those who are blessed would be given material wealth, land, health, etc. But that is not what they are blessed with.

i. Those who are poor in spirit are blessed with the kingdom of heaven. Already this is a departure. It’s not the kingdoms of this world, the systems of power in place around them—but something completely different, bigger, and better.

ii. Those who mourn are blessed with comfort.

iii.Those who are meek will inherit the earth—a contrast from whom we believe the earth belongs to, even in our time.

iv. Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. Those who are merciful will receive mercy. Those who are pure in heart will see God. Those who are peacemakers are called the children of God.

v. Those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness will be blessed with the kingdom of heaven. Note that both those who are poor in spirit and those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness are blessed with the kingdom of heaven. Again this emphasizes the poetic form of the Beatitudes. These are not meant to be separated and isolated from one another but are supposed to be taken together. It might even be alluding to the fact that, if you are poor in spirit, there’s a good chance you are also being persecuted for the sake of righteousness.

b. These blessings are not the blessings of the world that claim to give us power, control, and wealth. These are blessings of the kingdom of God.

4. The Beatitudes Are a Way of Being in the World

a. This section of Scripture is often called “the Beatitudes” because it is about a way of being in the world. These calls to the kingdom of God are not just about a someday kingdom of God, although it’s important to note that much of this passage alludes to a day when all will be made right and the kingdom of God will be fully realized.

b. These calls to the kingdom of God are a way of being in the world now. As followers of Jesus, we are called to live as though we are citizens of this kingdom of God even now. We are to live into the traits listed in Matthew 5 now.

c. Matthew is filled with illustrations of the kingdom of heaven here and now. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7), which is kicked off with the Beatitudes, elaborates on how those who follow Christ are to live in the world, as citizens of the kingdom of God. We also see the language of the kingdom of God coming to earth as it is in heaven in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6—a prayer that the kingdom of God not just be a place in the distant future but something that is experienced now.

d. People around us see the kingdom of God here and now, when we live as citizens of the kingdom of God by embodying the Beatitudes of the kingdom.

Conclusion

The world has its own beatitudes—ways of living and existing. They usually encompass power, money, violence, and control, but the people of God are first and foremost to live as citizens of the kingdom of God. Even now, we are to live in this already/not-yet kingdom, and that way of being, doing, and existing looks different from the world. It’s not about power and control but meekness and righteousness. It’s not about violence and money but poverty of spirit and peacemaking. Living in this way may very well cause us hardship in this world— it certainly did for Jesus—but we know from these words that those who live as citizens of the kingdom of God are truly blessed.

O Lord, we ask you for the power to live in Your way in this day and time. We ask your Spirit to pour out on us and that you would give us the strength to Be all that you want us to Be.

The Communion Supper, instituted by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a sacrament, which proclaims His life, His sufferings, His sacrificial death, and resurrection, and the hope of His coming again. It shows forth the Lord’s death until His return.

The Supper is a means of grace in which Christ is present by the Spirit. It is to be received in reverent appreciation and gratefulness for the work of Christ.

All those who are truly repentant, forsaking their sins, and believing in Christ for salvation are invited to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ. We come to the table that we may be renewed in life and salvation and be made one by the Spirit.

In unity with the Church, we confess our faith: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. And so we pray:

Holy God,

We gather at this, your table, in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who by your Spirit was anointed to preach good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, set at liberty those who are oppressed. Christ healed the sick, fed the hungry, ate with sinners, and established the new covenant for forgiveness of sins. We live in the hope of His coming again.

On the night in which He was betrayed, He took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread, gave it to His disciples, and said: “This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Likewise, when the supper was over, He took the cup, gave thanks, gave it to His disciples, and said: “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in remembrance of me.” Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Matthew 26:27–29, Luke 22:19)

And so, we gather as the Body of Christ to offer ourselves to you in praise and thanksgiving. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us and on these your gifts. Make them by the power of your Spirit to be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ, redeemed by His blood.

By your Spirit make us one in Christ, one with each other, and one in the ministry of Christ to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, let us pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, broken for you, preserve you blameless, unto everlasting life. Eat this in remembrance that Christ died for you, and be thankful.

The blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, shed for you, preserve you blameless unto everlasting life. Drink this in remembrance that Christ died for you, and be thankful.